


Dance with me, Doctor.

by Zaxrion



Category: Vampyr (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Jonathan is a dork, M/M, Romance, Secret Santa, human!Jonathan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28313235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaxrion/pseuds/Zaxrion
Summary: Jonathan has lost everything. Geoffrey is here to comfort him. Grieving is never an easy process, the moon shall be their witness.-Human!Jon AU, canon divergence.
Relationships: Geoffrey McCullum & Jonathan Reid, Geoffrey McCullum/Jonathan Reid
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	Dance with me, Doctor.

**Dance with me, Doctor.**

_ London, Autumn 1918. _

Jonathan’s arrival to London was met with sorrow and by the type of chillness that leaves your heart frozen and your bones aching. He still couldn’t believe it. It had been days, maybe weeks since he found Mary. Since he found her lifeless body. She was laying down on some muddy street in the Docks like some kind of dog or a dead rat. The more he thought about the way she looked, the more his heart sank, deep into his chest, chasing away the air from his lungs. He was hyperventilating.

The more he tried to keep the oxygen flowing, the more it was rushing out. With a hand on his hurting chest and the other on his sweat-soaked face he tried desperately to calm down but no avail. The lights in his Pembroke office started to spin in his blurry peripheral vision as the tears began to flow down his cheeks. He could see no foreseeable end to his pain, to his misery. Reid tried to lie down on his bed, the feeling of the cold sheets helped for a second.

The relief was short-lived as violent hiccups kept interrupting his breathing. Jonathan tried to take deep breaths as he knew and hoped that it would help. He closed his eyes and felt his rib cage slowly extend. Just as slowly, he exhaled and took a look around. The foggy decor was still spinning and, as he stared to the white ceiling, he could swear that the coloured spots it made in his vision were taunting him. Like they were telling him it was never going to stop. That in the end, it was HIS fault, that he caused Mary’s death. There was no shaking that thought off as it kept echoing in his hurting, wretched brain that no longer worked the way it used to.

Jonathan was sobbing loudly when three quick knocks on the door interrupted him. He answered with a very weak “Please, enter. It’s open.” while he tried to pull himself back together. Inside the small office stepped a man in the latter half of his thirties wearing a long blue coat and a very characteristic red scarf tucked into his vest. His cheeks were gently swallowed by a beard young of a few days creeping up to the bluest -most beautiful- eyes one might cross in their lifetime. Unconsciously, he swiped a hand in his short dark hair, bringing the few stray strands of hair back in place before locking eyes with the doctor.

“- Doctor.  _ He started in his strong Irish accent.  _ We have located traces of the lee-  _ He paused. _ Of the vampire that has caused yer sister’s … demise. I came in here to share the news and check on ye as well, you should not stay alone in grief.  _ He said as his voice grew quieter, followed by the creaking of the bed’s springs. _ ”

Reid knew that the member of the Guard of Priwen was right but that still didn’t help him, he only felt like crying more to be truthful. Following his arrival to the city, a couple of weeks prior, Jonathan had met Geoffrey reasonably quickly when he was approached by the guard after roaming the streets in search of answers. Never had he expected that this hunt for the truth would lead him to that, to  _ him _ .

“Reid.  _ Started the hunter, his voice lower and with a caring ring to it. _ Ye look rough.”    
  


“Do you have anything new to tell me?  _ Asked the doctor, a hint of bitterness in his tone.” _ __   
  


“Not exactly. But I can tell you the same thing I already did. You won’t get better by staying here. Come on.”

And on those wise words, the vampire hunter took the doctor by his wrist and helped him to his feet. Reluctantly at first, Jonathan obeyed. Geoffrey held the doctor’s arms into his with a genuine smile and detailed the features of his face which made Reid blush discreetly, as he tried to get his ears to stop burning, the hunter started speaking.

“Let’s fix you up first.  _ He grabbed Jon by his arm and walked towards the sink, near the entrance of the office. _ ”

“Mr McCullum, it’s fine, you don’t have to do this.  _ Protested the surgeon. _ ”

The guard of Priwen didn’t answer and just grabbed a nearby chair for Jonathan to sit on. With a soft hum, he looked around the sink and the close drawers and took out a small bar of shaving soap, which he tossed around and juggled with for a sec and a straight razor. He let the water get warm for a little while as an awkward silence came to wrap itself in their non-conversation. When some steam started to fill the room, he got his hands wet and curved his fingers into a bowl, filling it quickly. He massaged his hands on the soap for a few seconds and when he felt like he had enough foam, he started to coat the lower half of Reid’s face. The doctor was amazed at how delicate the hunter’s callous hands felt, the exact opposite of what he expected and of what he knew they were used for. Jonathan closed his eyes for a second and just enjoyed the feeling of warm fingers on the skin of his beard being softly stroked. 

“Please don’t shave it all.  _ Clarified the doctor.” _

“Wouldn’t dream of it, it suits ya well.  _ Geoffrey laughed. _ ”

The foam hid Reid’s smile but did not do much for the burning of his ears. The surgeon cleared his throat, trying not to feel too awkward but that only made Geoffrey smirk more. With motions that implied years of practice and mastery, he shaved off the stray hair eating at the doctor’s cheeks going up to his cheekbones. Once he made sure that the lines of the beard were sharp and well defined he gave a satisfied smile while Jonathan was practically purring at his touch. He grabbed a pair of scissors, laying not far away and started carefully trimming the surgeon’s mane. The snips and careful touches were so relaxing for Jonathan he swore he fell asleep at some point but one thing was sure, it ended too soon. Aching for McCullum’s finger on his face again, he washed himself with warm water and thoroughly inspected the vampire hunter’s work. Flawless. He couldn’t say anything, even nitpicks were off the table. It was astonishing to him that he was able to reproduce Jon’s beard style this faithfully.

With a genuine smile, the first one in a long while, Jonathan turned to face Geoffrey and thanked him, sincerely. He dried his face as he could using a warm towel and brushed his facial hair with his fingers for a little while, just appreciating the feeling. He looked nice and felt a little better but his heart was still dark like someone had spilt a bottle of ink over the book of his life and he couldn’t do anything but to smudge it away. And now he felt like crying again when his gaze met itself in the mirror and the blue of his irises immediately reminded him of Mary, of his dear sister. As he began to take deeper breaths, trying to calm his overflowing emotions, he felt Geoffrey’s hand around his left wrist. 

“Come on.  _ He said.  _ There’s somethin’ I want to show ye.”

Jonathan had no idea where that was going to take him but he went with it nonetheless, it’s not like he had anything better to do anyway. He grabbed his thick brown coat off the hanger and slipped it on quickly. In silence first, the doctor followed the Priwen lad out of his office and down the stairs into the Pembroke Hospital. The surgeon did his best to just follow and avoid eye contact with most people working or being taken care of here and with a few understanding nods from Nurse Hawkins and Nurse Crane, the two of them got to the door. A cold gust of wind found its way into Jonathan’s coat, making him shudder and retract his head like a scared turtle but Goeffrey stayed stoic and kept walking, his soles striking the ground in a repetitive and somewhat soothing rhythm.

London by night was always a pretty sight and the Spanish influenza crisis did not change that. They walked for a little while in the shimmering light of the street lamps and through the cold air of autumn. The quiet rumble of the Thames River was there to keep them company and to protect them from a complete and awkward silence. The look on Jonathan’s face, as well as the ambience between the two of them, shifted as he understood where they were headed: the Stonebridge cemetery. The surgeon wondered what the point was to bring him there but the curiosity got the better of the pain in his heart and he followed the hunter through the iron gates of the graveyard.

Without a word, they treaded the pavement for a little while, the gloom scenery of gravestones in the moonless night was all around them. On a normal night, Jonathan would never have been seen out this late, even less in a place like this and if he had to be honest, now that he knew vampires existed, he certainly wasn’t as confident being in the dark, far from the saving grace of the sun. But all of his worries were swooped away when he laid his eyes on McCullum who had a stake tied to his belt and his trusty crossbow on his forearm, yes. He was safe. 

Soon, over the stone arches, Reid saw umbrellas of the darkest shade and understood why he was here. He recognized Avery and his mother, Evelyn, huddled together close to a priest, holding an open bible in his left hand and a rosary dangling from his right. They approached slowly, hesitation showing in Jonathan’s steps as his Mother clutched her old hands together.

“Jonathan! Is that you?  _ She asked, her voice trembling.” _

“It is, mother. It’s me.  _ Jon answered, incapable of looking at her in the eyes. _ ”

He still wasn’t entirely ready to face her, to face what happened but he didn’t have a choice anymore. Jonathan walked forward as Geoffrey leaned against a wall a few feet behind. He embraced his mother in a polite hug as tears came rushing to his eyes, doing his best to keep them there, he saluted Avery before standing beside them, waiting for the priest to deliver the eulogy he knew was coming. With a voice denoting age but also wisdom, the Vicar spoke calmly.

“‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ says the Lord. ‘Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’  _ He recited in a monotone voice before the coffin was covered. He turned towards the doctor.  _ Although you missed most of the procession, would you like to say a few words?  _ The warmth of his words somehow brought comfort to his heart. _ ”

“I would like to, yes.  _ He walked forward.  _ Mary was … exceptional. She was kind and strong, even with the losses she endured … she kept fighting. And I’m … so sorry. Mary, I will find whoever did this to you, and I swear on all that I hold dear that I’ll avenge you.  _ The tears started to flow but it didn’t make him stop.  _ I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me and I hope that you can find in your heart to forgive me now.”

Clutching the dirt of the freshly covered coffin, tears came streaming down his face. Not even trying to dissimulate the sobs and the hiccups, he apologized to Mary, to her grave, profusely. He felt alone and cold like he rarely, if ever, felt. But letting the feelings out would be good, he needed this. For a while now, he had been blaming himself, maybe if he would have been faster or stronger, she would still be alive. Maybe if he had arrived earlier the vampire would have taken him instead, maybe things would have been different. Slowly, he felt his mother walking behind him, bending her old knees so she could lay a hand on his back. She stayed silent as the shade of the umbrella, carried by their butler, slowly crept around them, embracing them. As Evelyn shushed Jonathan quietly, he let out all the pain he had bottled up. He sniffled and thanked his mother sincerely, she kneeled and took him in her arms, gently brushing his hair as she used to do when he was a kid. They stayed there a moment, every person present was dead silent.

For the first time since Mary’s death, Jonathan was fully allowed to grieve, to let the pain out. And he wasn’t alone, as no one should be. The tears were slowly replaced by anger, though, anger directed at vampires, at himself and the world. The time came for Mama Reid to go back to their manor with a tender kiss to her son but the anger was still there, a searing burn in the surgeon’s stomach. Not wanting to end the night on that note, he decided to invite the hunter to talk about their discoveries over a glass at the local bar: the Turquoise Turtle. McCullum accepted gladly.

In those hard times, the pub was mostly empty safe from the two employees and a drunkard that never really left. Silently, they sat on the stools, waiting for Tom to get to them. Jonathan ordered a glass of red wine, one of the most prestigious bottles that the bartender owned and did it while pronouncing the french name effortlessly, making the Irish hunter scoff before ordering a whiskey. They sipped their beverages without any words breaking their lips until the halfway point. With his face hot from the alcohol, the doctor spoke clearly.

“- So … you said you had news for me.  _ His voice was bitter, colder. _ ”

“I do.  _ Nodded Geoffrey. _ We have reasons to believe your sister was … taken by a very powerful vampire. An ancient one. We thought we had gotten rid of them in our Great Hunt but it appears we were wrong.  _ He explained, his voice translating deep hate. _ For what it’s worth. I’m sorry for yer loss.”

Jonathan had dozens of questions, which he asked away but they weren’t always met with satisfying answers or by information at all. Geoffrey was greedy with his words, it seemed, maybe the Priwen lad was hesitant in getting a civilian too deep into the vampire mess. But the surgeon didn’t care, he wanted to know, to understand. And by the profound eye contact he shared with the Irish man betrayed the fact that he may have been craving for more. McCullum took a deep breath like he was preparing to say something but got interrupted by Reid, standing up. Clearly, he realised he was letting on more than he should, maybe more than he wanted to. As the moon was well advanced in her steady rise, he excused himself to the vampire hunter saying that he had too much to drink and that getting home would be the safer choice. On his way home, his gait staggered belligerently and Jonathan kept thinking “What an idiot I make,” as he reminisced on the night’s events.

The doctor was finally entering the west end of London and was really looking forward to sleeping in his actual bed and to eating a warm meal, he had been staying at the Pembroke hospital for multiple nights in a row, only catching small naps and throwing himself as much as he could in his work, maybe it would make the pain go away, he thought. He could hear Clarence’s voice in the distance, the old bloke was still trying to warn everyone about vampires, a foolish thing, really. With a long sigh, he finally crossed the threshold of his house and felt the warmth of the manor.

Although the night was well underway and he had been out for a while, he didn’t have the heart to eat and went straight up the stairs, walking on the tip of his feet just like when he was a teenager and he snuck in and out of the house. As he slipped into his old room, closing the door carefully behind him, he saw a plate on the desk. “Avery made biscuits,” he told himself with a soft little smile. Not wanting to make the old butler sad, the doctor decided to try one out. They were simple sweet biscuits with cinnamon and without much surprise, they tasted very good. Not craving any more but with his stomach happy about it, he stepped out on his balcony to take a breath, he didn’t feel like sleeping right now for a reason he couldn’t explain and had always loved watching the city from up there.

He watched the empty streets for a while, and eventually was able to feel his eyes get heavier and slipped into bed to get some well-earned rest. Or so he thought, just a few hours later, he was awakened by the sound of rocks hitting his window. Almost rolling out of bed from the surprise. Panicked, he checked the window. He hoped it wasn’t anything troublesome but he certainly wasn’t expecting that. His eyes tripled in size when they met Geoffrey on the other side of the glass. He stepped on the balcony again and looked at him, down in the street. The vampire hunter was standing here, in front of the manor looking a little more dishevelled than usual but still just as dashing, at least to his eyes. Talking with their hands and yelling whispers, they tried to communicate, Reid asking what McCullum was doing here and the hunter answering that he wanted to try something before going home.

Intrigued and his heart pounding a serenade, the doctor got out again, discreetly. And just as he was outside, the moon slowly reaching the end of her course, Geoffrey grabbed his wrist, compelling him to follow. Surprised and his face blushing, Jonathan complied, his ears buzzing from the thunder in his chest. They reached a small square with a bench and two trees, their leaves coloured in the golds of autumn, dimly lit by a lamp nearby. With a smile and not letting go of his hand that he held softly, Geoffrey spoke.

“Dance with me, doctor Reid.  _ He proposed, without looking away for a single second, his piercing eyes looking right through Jonathan. _ ”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Ye need to get out of yer bubble and this will help you.  _ McCullum explained. _ Channel yer grief, your feelings into this.  _ He took Jon’s hands into his and started to move at a slow rhythm. _ ”

At first, they struggled to sync themselves, each dancing to their own mental music but out of tune. They both wanted to lead, such was how they always danced, how they learnt to. Unconsciously, partially at least, they were both fighting for control, for dominance. They rustled for a bit, almost stomping on each other’s feet multiple times before one of them, Geoffrey McCullum, decided to give up his agency and let himself be led, teetering at first.

With only the fading light as their companion, they stood together, alone. Silently, they swayed from side to side, dancing to a beat only they could hear. Their hearts were linked, and they knew it. Even with the pain, Jonathan couldn’t do anything but smile as his gaze lost itself in the pale blue shade of Geoffrey’s. The dancing had felt amazing and it helped. Slowly, the surgeon felt his walls crumble down and he stepped out of his metaphorical bubble. Holding the hunter’s hands, Reid felt like he wanted to something terribly stupid, something he would regret immensely but his brain wasn’t the one making decisions. He hesitated, his breath catching itself in his throat while Goeffrey brought him close with a grin. He knew, oh, he knew. The weight was too much for Jonny but he didn’t shy away from the embrace, a deep intimate hug was just as good. With a shudder, a question sprung in his mind.

“Geoffrey?  _ He asked.  _ Have your hands always been that cold?”

**-End-**

**Author's Note:**

> So! That's my first work published here. I hope y'all liked it. It was done for the Secret Santa of the Pembroke Hospital Discord server and gifted to The ant destroyer/Water! They're very chill and I love them all very much. There will MAYBE be a part two (or three) of this, I'm not sure yet!


End file.
